Discipline, scale, patience key to Nigerian enterprise growth — NCSP DG Tegbe

The Director-General of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Mr Joseph Tegbe, has identified discipline, scale and long-term strategic thinking as the foundational pillars required for sustainable enterprise development in Nigeria, urging business owners to draw practical lessons from China’s national development journey.

Mr Tegbe made the remarks while delivering a presentation titled “Hacking Your Personal Economic Growth: Lessons from China’s National Development Journey” at a three-day capacity-building seminar organised by the NCSP.

The seminar, themed “Leveraging Chinese Partnerships to Scale Nigerian Businesses,” forms part of the partnership’s broader efforts to promote structured knowledge exchange and enterprise-focused learning.

Addressing participants, Mr Tegbe stressed that China’s remarkable economic rise was neither accidental nor driven by chance, but the product of deliberate and consistent policy choices rooted in focus, standardisation and disciplined execution.

He explained that Chinese policymakers and entrepreneurs adopted a long-term mindset, prioritising steady progress and institutional strength over short-term gains.

He highlighted China’s pragmatic approach to innovation, noting that many Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) did not begin with groundbreaking inventions.

Instead, they adapted existing products, imported technologies and proven business models, improving them gradually through incremental innovation. According to him, this approach allowed enterprises to reduce risk, build competence and scale efficiently.

Mr Tegbe further observed that Chinese businesses typically achieve success by mastering a single product or service, replicating it efficiently across markets and refining it continuously.

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He also underscored the importance of collaboration, pointing out that Chinese enterprises often operate within industrial clusters that share infrastructure, suppliers and skilled labour, significantly lowering production costs while boosting efficiency and productivity.

Emphasising discipline as China’s most enduring competitive advantage, Mr Tegbe said Chinese entrepreneurs are known for aggressively reinvesting profits into machinery, inventory expansion and process efficiency, while maintaining modest lifestyles during their early growth phases.

He added that strict cost control, accurate financial tracking and a deep understanding of unit economics are critical to maintaining profitability and achieving sustainable scale.

He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs to shift focus from short-term “hustle” mentalities to patient, market-driven growth strategies anchored on technical competence, export readiness and long-term planning.

According to him, building enterprises that can compete globally requires consistency, operational discipline and the willingness to grow steadily over time.

Mr Tegbe reaffirmed NCSP’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria–China cooperation translates into tangible outcomes that enhance productivity, enterprise development and economic self-reliance.

He noted that the partnership remains focused on creating practical pathways for Nigerian businesses to leverage Chinese expertise, networks and experience.

The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership continues to strengthen bilateral collaboration between Nigeria and China in key areas such as trade, investment, technology transfer, infrastructure development and capacity building, with the overarching goal of delivering measurable and lasting value to the Nigerian economy.